Quality management

Quality at the University of Helsinki means doing the right things at the right time in the right way to achieve top results. The fit for purpose operating models are continuously assessed and developed to further improve results. Quality means expedient operations and high-quality results.

The University’s quality culture is the atmosphere of the University community supporting high-quality operations. The quality culture manifests itself in the high commitment of the staff and students to their work and studies. The staff and students collaborate in accordance with the values and objectives of the University and adhere to common policies. They also share good practices and engage in continuous evaluation.

Quality management is the fit-for-purpose conduct of operations. The practices adopted by the University are justified and well managed. Through quality management, we will know whether we are achieving the goals set for our work, and have the ability to correct our course when necessary. Quality management ensures that society can trust in the University and its operations.

The University's quality system is an integrated management system which helps us maintain and develop the quality of University operations. It is a collection of measures and methods used to ensure that we are progressing towards and achieving our goals. With the help of our quality management system, through the description and measurement of operations, we can observe when something is not working and react to development needs. The University’s quality system provides the necessary structures and defines the procedures and responsibilities for well-functioning quality management.

What does quality mean from a student's point of view? How is high-quality university education reflected in society as a whole? The video opens up the concept of quality from the perspective of the University of Helsinki.

Quality policy means University guidelines for the goals, principles and distribution of responsibilities in high-quality operations:

Quality work supports the University of Helsinki in achieving its vision With the power of knowledge – for the world which is defined at the Strategic plan. Every member of the academic community shall contribute to the common goal of achieving the University’s objectives and shall be responsible for his or her performance and outcomes. The purpose of the University’s quality system is to aid the academic community and its members in developing a framework for quality management.

The quality system (see the picture in the beginning of the site) is an integrated management system which helps us maintain and develop the quality of University operations. It is a collection of measures and methods used to ensure that we are progressing towards and achieving our goals. With the help of our quality management system, through the description and measurement of operations, we can observe when something is not working and react to development needs.

The quality system provides the structures and defines the procedures and responsibilities of well-functioning quality management.

The integrated management system of the University of Helsinki consists of a quality system, a management system and a steering framework.

The purpose of the quality system is to:

  • Support the attainment of the objectives of the University’s quality policy
  • Support the leadership and management
  • Allow for continuous assessment and improvement of operations by offering tools and pointing out development areas
  • Provide reliable monitoring and assessment data for operations management
  • Clarify and harmonise procedures as well as eliminate errors and flaws
  • Disseminate and establish good practices

The quality system rests on an appropriate organisational structure as well as good management and decision-making. Its foundation consists of the strategic plan as well as the University’s target programme together with the related target programmes and action plans of the units (faculties and independent institutes). The quality system supports the University’s strategic objectives and helps both the University and its units to achieve them.

The University of Helsinki's quality system is documented in

The description of the quality system

The description of the quality system explains how University operations are planned, implemented, evaluated and developed. See the picture at the top of the page.

Flamma intranet

The Flamma intranet and the Instructions for Students and Instructions for Teaching websites function as the University’s operations manual, providing all the necessary information on how operations are carried out at the University. The University no longer draws up an operations manual in the traditional format on the University or unit levels. The framework of guidelines and instructions for the University and unit levels is presented with the help of the PDCA (Plan - Do - Check - Act) cycle. The PDCA cycles of faculties and independent institutes feature on the unit-specific The University Guide to How It’s Done page on Flamma.

The instructions for Students

The Instructions for Students website offers general and degree programme-specific instructions and bulletins regarding your studies.

The instructions for Teaching

The site contains University-level and degree programme-specific instructions for teaching (e.g., the planning of teaching, thesis supervision and special arrangements).

Process descriptions

The process descriptions of the University of Helsinki have been drawn up using QPR Enterprise Architect software, and they are stored on the Mallinnus server. To log in You need the University user identifier. Process descriptions are part of the work on the enterprise architecture of the University of Helsinki.

Process descriptions clarify management practices, help to identify process bottlenecks, relieve the process workload, facilitate comparisons with other units, harmonise operations and help to share good practices.

Instructions

Instructions for the operations of the University of Helsinki are provided in various regulations, provisions and guidelines. All of these are part of the University's quality documentation.

The Board of the University of Helsinki bears ultimate responsibility for quality principles and policies. The University leadership is accountable for the overall quality of operations and results. The faculty deans and directors of independent institutes, as well as the directors of University Services sectors answer for the quality of the operations and results in their units. Every member of the academic community is responsible for the quality of their work and its results as well as their improvement in their role as

  • Teachers
  • Researchers
  • Students
  • Members of the administrative and support staff

The University's quality management is coordinated by the Quality Manager, supported by the expert group for quality. The Rector has delegated responsibility for quality management to the Vice-Rector in charge.

The responsibilities for the quality system correspond to those defined for the University’s management and integrate seamlessly into regular management procedures. For example, deans are responsible for their faculty’s quality system and heads of department for their department’s system. While heads of administration provide vital support for unit directors in quality management processes, faculty and degree programme steering groups play an important role in quality assurance. 

Expert group for quality

The expert group for quality supervises and coordinates quality management and assessment at the University.

The mission of the group is twofold.

  • Support leadership and operations management at the University by developing and maintaining the University’s quality system by 
    • Supporting the planning of operations and development 
    • Maintaining an assessment plan as part of the University’s implementation plan 
    • Identifying and analysing qualitative data in support of knowledge-based management 
    • Ensuring regular review of operational guidelines and carrying out related reporting 
  • Support the development of quality management and assessment at the University by 
    • Drafting for University leadership guidelines to be employed as principles and practices of quality management 
    • Supporting the everyday work of the University community through the development and consolidation of quality-related competencies and the University’s quality culture together with the community

The group’s term of office is from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2027.

According to the Universities Act, universities must evaluate their education, research and artistic activities as well as the effectiveness of these activities. Universities must also regularly participate in external evaluations of their activities and quality assurance systems. The results of these evaluations must be made public.

Evaluations usually include a self-evaluation conducted by the University community. Self-evaluation offers a good opportunity to assess activities and identify strengths and areas in need of development. Evaluation projects involve external experts who provide constructive feedback to serve as an impetus for examining the current state of affairs and boosting the quality of University operations. Audits do not address the objectives or results of operations as such, but rather evaluate the processes used to maintain and develop the quality of operations.

Quality system audit

The objective of the audit is to ensure that the University has a quality system that supports the continuous development of its operations. The audit also ensures that the University operates in line with its objectives and that its operations are reliable both nationally and internationally. The audit does not judge the objectives or results of operations as such, but rather evaluates the processes used to manage and develop the quality of operations.

The University passed the quality system audit on January 26, 2022

The University of Helsinki passed the quality audit conducted by the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) with a team of peer reviewers. As a result of the successful audit, the University of Helsinki received a FINEEC quality label valid until 26 January 2028.

The audit report has been published on the FINEEC audit platform.

The audit will be based on FINEEC's audit model 2019-24.

Evaluations

The research conducted at the University of Helsinki was assessed on 2018–2019. The aim of the assessment was to produce an overview of the quality and impact of the research conducted at the University, to assist in identifying future research opportunities and to support the renewal of research. Final report: Research Assessment 2018-19 University of Helsinki (RAUH) (pdf)

The aim is to carry out the evaluations in a way that puts minimum strain on the University’s basic operations, teaching and research. Evaluations in the 2020s:

  • Research assessment in 2025-2026
  • Evaluation of service operations in 2024-2025
  • Assessment of the operating structures and management system at the University of Helsinki in 2024
  • Review of Degree programmes in 2024
  • Quality system audit in 2022

Quality – Doing the right things at the right time in the right way to achieve top results

  • Our fit for purpose operating models are continuously assessed and developed to further improve results.

Quality policy – University guidelines for the goals, principles and distribution of responsibilities in high-quality operations

  • The quality policy defines how quality is managed at the University. We are all responsible for the quality of our work and related quality maintenance. The achievement of goals is supported by the quality system.

Quality system – How University operations are planned, implemented, evaluated and developed

  • This integrated management system helps us maintain and develop the quality of University operations. It is a collection of measures and methods used to ensure that we are progressing towards and achieving our goals. With the help of our quality management system, through the description and measurement of operations, we can observe when something is not working and react to development needs. The system includes indicators for assessing operations.

Quality management – Tools that enable us to rely on the high quality of operations

  • Quality management is the fit-for-purpose conduct of operations. The practices adopted by the University are justified and well managed. Through quality management, we will know whether we are achieving the goals set for our work, and have the ability to correct our course when necessary. Quality management ensures that society can trust in the University and its operations.

Quality culture – Atmosphere of the University community supporting high-quality operations

  • The quality of operations is founded on the values of our community. We conduct ourselves in accordance with shared guidelines and rules.

Innovative organisational culture – Best ideas applied through agile experimentation

  • An innovative organisational culture encourages and motivates us to conduct boundary-crossing collaboration where failure is allowed. Operations are continuously improved in small increments. Successes are celebrated.

Good practices – Good ideas worth trying out

  • A good practice is an efficient course of action in a certain matter, resulting from experimentation and experience. By sharing practices, knowledge and good ideas are highlighted. At its best, this can result in new operating models for the University as a whole. Sharing good practices increases the University’s inclusivity.

Research orientation – High-quality teaching is based on research

  • All teachers do research and all researchers teach. Teaching and learning are based on research, which guarantees the quality of knowledge, and an investigative way of learning is part of academic education. Students are part of the academic community. Learning also increases the visibility of research findings and promotes their application in society.

Student-centred approach – Together for the benefit of students

  • A student-centred approach takes into account individual needs, backgrounds and perspectives, while ensuring that everyone is treated fairly and equally. Students are provided with sufficient services and opportunities to study. Students are responsible for their learning, and they are supported and heard as active parties in their own learning process. Students contribute to University operations and development as members of the University community.

Continuous learning – Learning never stops

  • High-quality operations include the development of skills as well as the provision and completion of training. A top-level organisation understands that learning never stops and supports individuals in acquiring appropriate skills at the appropriate time. Everyone is provided with the opportunity to develop their skills.

Enhancement-led evaluation – Enhancement and improvement

  • Enhancement-led evaluation helps make the University even better. The focus is on the development and enhancement of practices. The operation or practice under examination is first evaluated from different perspectives, and then its strengths and areas in need of development are identified. Goals are set for development, measures are agreed and the achievement of goals is monitored.

Self-assessment – How did we do?

  • We assess together what we have done, what could be improved and where we excel.

Benchlearning – Together in the right direction

  • We learn from each other, share good practices and strive to develop them collaboratively. Furthermore, we can set shared goals for benchlearning, or peer learning, progressing towards them together. We support each other, giving and receiving feedback. We believe that together we are more than the sum of our parts.